Finding out you paid off a credit card without realizing it…. and discovering it has a credit balance because you paid more than you owed!

Don’t get me wrong, this pregnancy is priceless… but it’s not cheap either.  Babygirl’s arrival and existence will also be priceless…. and it’ll bring about extra costs that we don’t currently have.

Such as:

• Medical bills (ultrasounds aren’t cheap! and birth/delivery isn’t likely to be either…)
• Diapers
• Clothes
• Additional insurance (health and life)
• College savings
• Childcare
• Additional food
• And later… STUFF.  We know that kids (especially teens) like STUFF.  Hell, I loved STUFF.

A few years ago before we started trying to conceive, we’d had the discussion of having children together.  At that time both of us were nervous about the costs associated with it, but I think my husband was more concerned than I.  I don’t blame him – the traditional ideal is that the husband/father must provide for and protect his family.  Plus, he makes more than I do.  Growing up in less than ideal financial circumstances, I was more relaxed if we wait until we’re “financially stable” we’ll never have children.  We’ll be fine, we’ll figure it out.

I think I was right and wrong all at the same time.  However, I think the best approach would have been for us to work on our financial goals and such starting RIGHT then.  It makes me flinch with shame that we didn’t think of it then.  We’d be in a much better financial situation now if we would have worked together on our money then.

We would have had a good 3+ years to work on our finances before babygirl arrived.  
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